A Galaxy Torn Asunder
by LoryLynn1186
Summary: What if Owen and Beru had a child of their own? Luke grows up with a younger cousin who gets sucked into his galactic adventure. Part 1 is a retelling of Episode IV.
1. Prologue

This little plot bunny has been bouncing around my head for a few months now. I'm so glad to have finally gotten it written. Essentially this will be a retelling of the original trilogy with an added character. Now let's see what develops...

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**Prologue (15 BBY)**

The suns on Tattoine were hot, even during the evening hours. Normally this is when the Lars family would be winding down from a long day of moisture farming and caring for their 4 year old nephew, but today was different. This day found Owen Lars pacing nervously outside the door to his home, listening intently for any signs of trouble from within.

"Uncle Owen?"

His pacing faltered momentarily as he turned to regard his nephew. The boy sat perched on the sandy retaining wall, his legs swinging back and forth in anticipation. He and his wife had taken in the boy nearly five years ago after tragedy had claimed both his parents. Since then he and Beru had cared for Luke as their own child, but did not hide the fact that he was not their biological son. He was adopted and for years that had never been an issue, but now Owen wondered if problems would arise with the arrival of he and Beru's baby.

"Yes, Luke?"

"Is the baby coming tonight?"

Owen stopped his pacing and took up a seat next to the boy. "I sure hope so." They sat in silence, each of them preoccupied with their own thoughts for what seemed like hours—but was probably only a few brief moments—before one of the midwives came out to fetch them.

Owen jumped to his feet. "Is she okay? How's the baby?"

The older woman smiled, her skin wrinkling around her eyes in amusement. This was not the first baby that Alinah had the privilege of bringing into this galaxy. She was well acquainted with every type of father: nervous, scared, pushy, and even occasionally the apathetic father. She was glad to see that Owen Lars was not in the last category. "Everyone is perfectly happy and perfectly healthy," she exclaimed. "You can go in now if you like."

Luke jumped off the wall and tugged on his uncle's hand, pulling him toward the homestead in excitement. Owen followed all too willingly, smiling fondly at the boy's antics. Inside the house there hung an air of expectancy despite the silence that echoed in the modest space. Owen allowed himself to be led through various rooms toward his and Beru's bedroom before stopping outside the door. Leaning forward, Owen pushed the heavy wooden door open slightly and stuck his head inside.

"Come on in," Beru called, a tired smile on her face.

Luke followed his uncle in and cautiously took a seat at the bottom of his aunt's bed. Owen took up a spot at the top of the bed and kissed his wife's damp forehead lovingly before peering at the tiny bundle in her arms.

"She's beautiful," he whispered. "Just like her mother." He pulled the soft blanket away from the baby's hands, counted ten fingers, and then diligently checked her toes. Thankfully everything appeared to be normal.

Beru smiled up at him then dropped her gaze to the young boy sitting quietly at the bottom of the bed. "Luke, would you like to meet your cousin?" He nodded shyly and crawled slowly toward the head of the bed where his aunt lay propped against several pillows. He peaked around the blankets and took stock of the tiny baby laying there.

Her eyes were much the same color as his, but her hair—what little she had on her head—was a dark brown color. Her skin still held the wrinkled, pinkish tint of a newborn. To Luke she looked very alien.

"Her name is Kasya," Beru explained.

Luke tilted his head to the side and studied her further before exclaiming, "She's real small."

Owen smiled. "Yes she is, but you were that small too and look how big you've grown."

"She'll get big too?"

"Yes she will," he nodded. "But you'll always be bigger than she will, so you'll have to look out for her, okay?"

Luke nodded. "Can I hold her?"

Owen looked to his wife for permission before instructing the young boy to lean back against the wall. Luke obeyed and quickly moved into position, thrusting his arms out. Owen gently plucked the newborn from her mother's arms and placed her in Luke's, making sure it keep his own hand beneath the baby's head for added support.

Luke stared down at the baby, watching as she yawned and fell into a fitful slumber. He may not have understood what caring for a baby entailed, but he understood that his life was different now. Even if they weren't related by blood, Luke had an obligation to protect Kasya. She was his responsibility now.

And he would spend the rest of his life watching out for her.


	2. Chapter 1

**Much thanks to those who reviewed the prologue for this story. I'm hoping to get updates posted every two or three days, so you can look forward to chapter 2 this weekend. Be sure to let me know what your thoughts are on this posting.**

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**C****hapter 1 (0 BBY)**

It was always an exciting day when the Jawa sand crawlers came around. At least as exciting a day as a moisture farm in the middle of a desert ever saw.

Every so often the Jawas would bring around a varied assortment of droids—most of which were acquired through less than legal means—and the owners of the local moisture farms would gather to see if there was anything in the catch worth haggling over. On this particular day, Luke Skywalker accompanied his uncle Owen in search of a droid that could help them program the moisture evaporators.

"Think they'll be anything good today?"

Uncle Owen grunted noncommittally in response, his eyes squinted against the blistering, midday sun. Thirty meters in the distance, a group of droids stood in the shadow of the great sandcrawler, a handful of jawas muddled around in the background acting as unnecessary guards to the droids already kept under ranks by restraining bolts. Luke and his uncle perused the selection of droids, most of which were unremarkable, before coming to a protocol droid whose gold coating, tarnished though it was, shone in the light. Uncle Owen started grilling the machine while Luke's attention wandered further down the line. His eyes fell on the blue and white astromech droid near the end of the line. He felt an instant connection to the machine and considered asking his uncle if it would suit their needs, but he knew the answer before the question was even asked. Still he couldn't help but feel that he needed that droid for some reason or another.

A few moments later, Luke was trudging back toward the Lars homestead with the gold protocol droid and a boxy, red astromech following. A few seconds later a _popping_ noise and a plume of smoke erupted from the little droid's top.

"Uncle Owen, this droid's got a bad motivator!" Luke called.

Angry words were exchanged between Owen Lars and the head Jawa and eventually the red astromech droid was replace with a sleeker, blue R2 series droid. Luke rallied both droids and started back toward the farm. As they approached home, a short figure came out to greet them, her hair pulled back from her face in a tight braid, her pale blue-hazel eyes shining bright. Her pristine white tunic was offset by the dark brown leggings and matching boots. As the youngest member of the Lars household, Kasya was the spitting image of her mother at that age, but had a voracious spirit that reminded everyone of her grandfather. She was headstrong, outgoing, and loyal to a fault.

"Hi dad!" she called, wrapping her arms around the older man.

"Hey there Kasy," her father greeted. "How was your fieldtrip?"

"It was okay," she shrugged. "Mos Eisley is kind of a boring place and the _Old Republic Museum_ isn't exactly thrilling."

"Still a day out of school though," Luke pointed out. He enjoyed teasing Kasya about being in school, especially since he had finished his required schooling two years prior. Not that his days spent toiling around the moisture farm were any more stimulating.

"True. I guess you found some new droids?"

Owen glanced behind him where the two droids stood silently. "We did, and it's your responsibility to get them cleaned up before dinner."

Kasya groaned, but Luke took his protest even further. "I was going in to Tosche Station to pick up some power converters."

"You can waste time with your friends when your chores are done," Uncle Owen admonished. "If you both work on it, then you'll be done twice as quickly."

"Fine," Kasya lamented. "C'mon, Wormie. Let's get this done."

They made their way to the garage then assumed their usual 'divide & conquer' routine. Luke led the protocol droid over to the vat of oil and set him up to be submerged, all the while listening to his prissy voice ramble on about all the chaos in the galaxy. Kasya took to the smaller, R2 droid and set about cleaning him up.

"You sure are dirty," she commented, scrubbing at a particularly large mark on the droid's dome. The little blue astromech bleeped at her in what could only be deemed a derogatory fashion. "Just pointing it out," she mumbled. "What your name anyhow?"

"That is R2D2," the other droid chimed in. "He is my counterpart. I am C3PO, human-cyborg relations."

"Nice to meet you both," Kasya said. Luke nodded in kind, most of his attention on the spaceship in his hands. Kasya rolled her eyes, her cousin was far too old to be playing with toys but don't try to tell him that. They were 'scale replicas,' not toys. "Hey Luke, it looks like there's something stuck in this data slot."

With a pitiful huff, Luke climbed out of his chair and joined Kasya across the garage. He examined the droid closely, taking note of the slot Kasya was talking about, before trying to pry the device from its place. "It's really jammed in there." He yanked a few more time and eventually the debris was torn loose…

…and a small hologram appeared on the floor between the two humans.

"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope."

Kasya stared at the image, unblinking. "Um…who is that?"

"No idea," Luke answered. "She's beautiful though. Artoo, who is this?"

The little droid rattled something off, to which Threepio translated. "He says she was a passenger on our last convoy. Someone of great important, I believe, but it's old data. Nothing to worry about."

Luke watched the short hologram replay itself over and over again, mesmerized by the tiny figure. "She sounds like she's in trouble. Maybe I should play back to whole clip."

"Luke, this hologram is probably years old. You wouldn't be able to find her even if you tried." But he wasn't listening to her, instead focusing his attention on Artoo and the mystery hologram.

"Sir, Artoo suggests removing his restraining bolt so he can access the complete data file."

"Sounds like a bad idea," Kasya mumbled.

Luke studied the little droid, weighing his options for a few seconds. "All right. I suppose you're too little to run off on me." He grabbed a tool off the floor nearby and set about removing the restraining bolt with a few twists and a little elbow grease. Almost instantly the bluish hologram disappeared from sight. "Hey where'd she go? Bring her back."

Artoo twiddled something in a mess of beeps that sounded decidedly incensed. Luke looked back at Threepio for a translation.

"Artoo, you play back the complete message for Master Luke," the protocol droid demanded. "What message? The one you carry in your rusty innards." Artoo beeped in response. "It appears that the restraining bolt has short circuited his systems. He seems to have misplaced the data."

"Good going, Luke," Kasya laughed. "You have fun fixing him, I'm gonna go help mom with dinner."

Dinner in the Lars household was particularly tense that evening, especially when Luke brought up the topic of his application to the Imperial military academy.

"We've got more than enough droids to handle the harvest," Luke reasoned.

"You have to know I need you here, Luke. You can go to the academy next season, I promise."

"But that's a whole 'nother year." He pushed back from the small table and climbed to his feet.

"Luke, where are you going?" Aunt Beru asked.

"Looks like I'm going nowhere." He left the table, sulking as he crossed the courtyard and disappeared from sight.

"Someone's moody," Kasi grumbled, shoveling another fork-full of dinner into her mouth.

"That's enough, Kasya."

After helping her mother clear the table and clean the supper dishes, Kasya snuck outside to find her wayward cousin. After a few moments of searching, she finally located him on the low retainer wall that surrounded the entrance to her father's workshop, staring at the dropping suns. She slowed her steps and approached him from behind, careful not to make a sound.

"I know you're there, Kasy." The sigh that answered him brought a small smile to Luke's lips.

"How do you do that?" she asked. "How do you always know?"

He shrugged and patted the empty space beside him. Kasya perched herself on the crumbling wall and watched the setting suns for a few moments. "I know you're upset, Luke, but why do you want to go to the Naval Academy anyhow? You wouldn't fit in there with all those stuffy-shirt, Imperials anyhow."

"It's hard to explain," he sighed. Kasya gave him that looks that said 'try me.' "Fine. It's not about going to the Academy so much as it is about getting off this rock."

"Why are you so obsessed with leaving home? I know it's not the most exciting place to live, but it's still home."

Luke shook his head. "I just feel like there's something better out there waiting for me. Some big adventure and if I don't get out of here it's going to pass me up."

"Like the rebellion?" Kasya suggested. Luke ducked his head but didn't say anything. It wasn't a topic most people discussed openly; you never knew who was listening. "It's no secret that that's where you'd end up. I think that's why dad doesn't want you to go."

"Probably," he huffed. They sat in silence for a few moments, listening to the native sounds of the desert surrounding them. Kasya leaned over and laid her head against her cousin's shoulder, closing her eyes and letting the suns' last rays warm her skin.

"We should probably head inside," Luke suggested, but made no attempt to move. "I've got to check on those new droids before I turn in for the night."

"Want some help?" she asked, laying her hand over her mouth and stifling a yawn.

"Nah, I think I can handle two droids," Luke laughed. "Isn't it almost your bedtime anyhow?"

Kasya stuck her tongue out, but rose to her feet and started trudging toward the house. She threw a glance over her shoulder and noticed that he hadn't moved yet. "Hey, Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"I just wanted to say that uh…if you do leave, I'll miss you."

Luke smiled, reading the unspoken sentiment in her words. "I love you too, Kasy." He watched her disappear into the homestead before turning back to his vista. He didn't know why, but Luke felt like something was transpiring. He didn't know where or when, but something was happening that was sure to shake up life on this dusty old rock.


	3. Chapter 2

**And now all the fun plot starts...**

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**C****hapter 2**

Luke awoke the following morning unnaturally early in hopes of capturing the wayward droid that had taken off the previous evening. If the little machine was still in one piece, that is. He could not believe that the droid had run away. How could he have been so stupid to take its restraining bolt off? He never would have thought that a droid would actually escape. It was a droid after all.

His footfalls were near silent as he entered the kitchen and greeted his aunt who was busily preparing breakfast. "Where are you off to at such an early hour?" she asked, placing a soft kiss to the crown of his head and a glass of blue milk before him.

Luke drank half the glass in a single gulp before responding. "I uh…wanted to get those new droids out in the fields as soon as possible. I know Uncle Owen was anxious to get them started." He held his breath, hoping that his aunt would accept the simple lie and not press the issue further. Aunt Beru had an uncanny ability to know when he was lying, even about the smallest of things. Thankfully today she seemed to accept his answer and turned back to her food. Luke devoured his breakfast in a few quick bites and stood from the table. "I'm heading out, tell Uncle I'll be back before lunch." He didn't wait for her reply before rushing out to the garage. He needed to find that little droid before his uncle found out or there'd be hell to pay.

"Where are you going?"

Luke whirled around, nearly dropping the goggles from his grip, to find Kasya leaning against the garage wall, arms crossed over her chest in that impish sort of way. "What are you going up so early? I thought you'd be sleeping in since you don't have school today."

"I think my internal chrono is set to wake me up at the crack of dawn every morning no matter what," Kasya smiled. "That doesn't answer my question though. Where are you headed so early?"

Luke swallowed the lump in his throat; if there was one person who was a better lie detector than his aunt it was Kasya. "I'm taking the droids into Anchorhead to have their memories wiped like Uncle Owen asked."

Kasya looked around the small garage. "I thought there were two droids," she said, taping her chin with a single finger. "I only see one."

Luke thought frantically for a moment, trying to come up with a plausible excuse as to why he was missing a droid. He could come up with nothing. "Fine," he sighed, "I lost one of the droids and now I have to go find it."

There was a short pause before Kasya started giggling. "I told you not to take its restraining bolt off."

"Yeah, yeah," Luke huffed. "Cover for me while I go find it?" he asked hopefully, plastering a huge grin on his face.

"I wanna come with you."

Luke sighed, "Kasy…"

"C'mon Luke," she teased. "I don't have school today and I really don't want to hang around here." She saw her cousin's façade cracking and decided to go for the kill shot. Her bottom lip jutted out, quivering just slightly, and her eyes took on the look of a baby Kushiban—all wide eyed and innocent. "Please?"

Luke sighed and dropped his shoulders in defeat. He was powerless against that look, always had been. "Fine. Let's go."

They set out from the Lars homestead, heading west on a bearing provided by a scan Threepio had done earlier. He had checked the surrounding areas with his optical sensors and picked up a tiny blip heading away from them. Luke assumed it was their stray R2 unit and immediately gave pursuit.

The next few hours were a blur as the speeder flew across the Dune Sea toward the signal that Threepio assured them was R2D2. They finally managed to find the little droid near the Jundland Wastes still raving about his mission.

And that's when the Sandpeople decided to join the party.

When Luke came to, the bright ball of Tatoo One was almost directly overhead, its partner not far behind. _How long have I been out?_ He wondered idly before his sense of self-preservation came to and he struggled to his feet.

"Hey. Calm down, Luke."

Turning his head slowly with aching muscles, Luke blinked rapidly. "Kasy? What happened?"

"Sand people," she explained. "They knocked you out and nearly took apart Threepio before Ben chased them off."

"Ben?" Kasya nodded and motioned over Luke's shoulder, allowing him to sit up further and turn to their other company. "Ben Kenobi."

"At your service, young Luke." The older man was crouching next to the deactivated protocol droid clutching one metal arm in his hand. "I see you've survived your first encounter with the Sandpeople."

"Hardly my first." He climbed to his feet, grimacing as a stab of pain shot up his back, and dusted his clothes off. "Though I've never been quite so close to them before."

"For that you can be thankful," Ben said. "You two are an awfully long way from home. What brings you out here?"

"This little droid," Luke said, nodding his head toward R2D2 who had rolled from the shadows. "He says he's the property of an Obi-Wan Kenobi, but I have no idea who he's talking about. I thought maybe you'd know him."

The old hermit stroked at his white beard. "Obi-Wan? Obi-Wan…now that's a name I've not heard in some time."

"So you know him?" Kasya asked.

"Oh course I know him. He's me," Ben confessed. "But I don't remember owning any droids." Before the older man could speak further, a baritone yell echoed through the canyon. "We must get inside, quickly. The Sandpeople are easily startled, but they'll soon return and in greater numbers."

Ben Kenobi's home was a short ride away and once inside, Luke set to work on reattaching Threepio's severed arm. Kasya watched him for a few moments, then took her leave to explore the home. The building itself was small and the furnishings were modest but well cared for. A small bedroom with attached refresher sat off from the main room, as well as a kitchenette and what appeared to be a small workshop of sorts. There were a handful of tools and mechanical pieces scattered across a makeshift table where it looked as though Kenobi was putting something together. Or at least trying to. Eventually she worked her way back to the main room…

…only to find her cousin holding a strange, glowing weapon.

"Whoa," Kasya gasped. "What is that?"

"It's a lightsaber," Ben explained. "This is the weapon of a Jedi. Not as clumsy or as random as a blaster, this was a more elegant weapon for a more civilized age."

She watched Luke swing the weapon back and forth a few times, the hue of the weapon changing subtly with each pass. Kasya was mesmerized by the color as well as the subtle hum it emitted. "Can I see it?"

Luke depressed a small button on the side and the glowing blade disappeared. "It's not a toy, Kasy."

"I know it's not a toy," she rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to look at it." Luke sighed and reluctantly handed the weapon over to his cousin. Kasya took the silver handle and examined the intricacies of it, from the shape of the handle to the weight of it. It was much too large for her hand and would probably make an awkward weapon for someone as small as her. She'd much rather have a blaster any day.

"Why would my father have this?" Luke asked accepting the weapon back. "He was a navigator on a spice freighter."

"That's just what your uncle told you. He never wanted you to know the truth…for your protection of course. Your father was a Jedi."

_'Wait…Luke's father was a Jedi?'_ Kasya wondered. She watched her cousin ignite the saber again and test the sword with a few random passes. _'No wonder mom and dad never wanted to talk about it. They were probably afraid someone would find out and take him away.'_ She couldn't help but wonder what other family secrets had been buried beneath the sand. She would have to ask her parents about it later.

"Alderaan? I can't go to Alderaan."

Suddenly Kasya's attention was pulled back to the conversation at hand. "Who's going to Alderaan?"

"The woman in the message," Luke began explaining, "wants Obi-Wan to come to Alderaan to help her father. He wants me to accompany him."

"You can't just pick up and go to Alderaan. What about the farm?"

"I know, Kas." He turned back to Obi-Wan and gave him a stiff smile. "I can take you as far as Anchorhead. You can get a transport there to Mos Eisley or wherever you need to go."

Obi-Wan smiled sadly, he had expected this answer. "You must do what you feel is right, of course."

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He had agreed to take Obi-Wan to Anchorhead, but Luke knew he was pushing it. He would be in trouble as it was when his uncle got ahold of him. He'd have to work twice as hard to get his daily chores done. Stupid droids…

Ahead of the speeder, a dark figure loomed on the horizon. It started small, but as the speeder approached, it grew larger and larger until it was easily four times higher and longer than the speeder itself. They were a hundred meters out when Luke realized what it was.

"It's a sandcrawler," he said. The hulking machine stood as still as a statue in the middle of the desert. Luke expected to see a group of Jawas milling around the bottom, but there was nothing. The scene was eerily quiet and very unnerving. As they approached the downed crawler, Luke finally understood why there was no one around. The hull of the giant vehicle was marred with blaster marks, most concentrated on a specific area but with a few scattered elsewhere.

And around the bottom of the sandcrawler lay a dozen dead Jawas, their little bodies covered by their dark robes, faces still hidden out of sight.

Luke looked over the sandcrawler, dormant as a sleeping animal. "It must have been the Sandpeople, but I've never heard of them hitting anything this big."

"They didn't, but we are meant to this they did. These blast marks are too precise for Sandpeople. Only Imperial storm troopers are so precise," Ben pointed out.

"Why would storm troopers want to slaughter Jawas?" Luke wondered aloud. His eyes dance around the scene before finally settling on the two droids. A sickening realization dawned on him like a rock falling to the pit of his stomach. "If they traced the droids here then they may have led them to whoever bought them."

"Which would lead them…" Kasya joined in.

"Back home." He was off in the blink of an eye, racing across the sand and jumping into his speeder.

Kasya took off after him, but her shorter legs were no match for him. "Luke, wait!" She watched him speed away in the direction of home, her teeth gnawing at her bottom lip as a sense of nervous anticipation settled over her.

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He stood there for what felt like hours just staring at the smoking building and the charred remains of his aunt and uncle. He just couldn't believe they were actually gone. He'd just spoken to his aunt no more than two hours ago and now…now she was gone. Killed...murdered at the hands of the Empire. But Luke didn't have time to mourn, especially when he thought of Kasya. Her parents were gone, stolen from her long before they should have been. She would be devastated.

With one final glance at the smoldering remains of his previous life, Luke Skywalker turned and left. The bleak terrain of Tatooine flew past him in a blur while Luke piloted the speeder with half his mind. The other half was busy trying to find a way to tell his cousin that her parents were dead and then figure out where they would go from there. He knew what he wanted to do; he wanted to go with Ben to Alderaan, but he couldn't really drag Kasya along. Could he? Maybe the Darklighters could take her in?

It took him nearly an hour to get back to the spot where he had left Kasya and the droids with Ben Kenobi, but his whirling thoughts made the trip literally fly by. The second his speeder came to a stop Kasya was beside him, worry etched on her young face. Her hazel eyes met his, boring deep into his soul. She seemed to read him like a datapad, her shoulders slumping and beginning to shake as she realized what he wasn't telling her.

"I'm sorry, Kasy," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her shaking shoulders and pulling her near.

Kasya allowed herself to be pulled against Luke's body, though she barely felt the comforting warmth of the contact. Her body had gone numb as if hit by a stun blast. Her parents were gone, just like that. She would never see them again. Her legs gave out on her then, but Luke caught her, sliding his arm beneath her knees and carrying her into the shade of the sandcrawler. He sat down on the sand and cradled the girl in his lap letting her cry into his tunic.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated, knowing his words could do little but having nothing else to offer.

"H-how could they d-do this?" she cried, her voice muffled against his chest.

Luke's features hardened. "I don't know, but I promise you they will pay." His eyes lifted from the sand and met the sad eyes of Ben Kenobi across the way. "I will make them pay," he repeated sternly.

Ben kept his distance letting Luke comfort young Kasya, but he watched them with a trained eye. There was no blood between them, they weren't kin in the tradition definition of the word, and yet they were closer than many family members. He'd watched them for years, since that fateful day that he delivered Luke, then an infant barely a few days old, to his new guardians. He'd watched them grow closer over the years and develop a relationship that was closer to siblings than cousins. Ben hadn't counted on bringing another innocent life into this crazy war, but he didn't have much of a choice now. A gentle prodding of the Force reassured him that this was indeed still the correct path for all involved.

Eventually Kasya's sobs relented, leaving her with the occasional sniffle and hiccup. "What do we do now?" she asked her voice so soft it could barely be heard.

"I don't know," Luke admitted. "I'll need to talk with the Darklighters and see if you can stay with them before I—"

"No."

His eyes snapped downward but instead of seeing the top of a blonde head, blue eyes met hazel ones. What he saw there was a hard determination that rang of her parents. "I'm staying with you."

Luke sighed. "Kasy, you can't—"

"Yes I can," she argued. "Mom and dad are…they're gone. There's no reason for me to stay here anymore and I really don't want to stay with the Darklighters. They're nice people but I don't want to be that close to home. To know that they were…that they were murdered so close, I just don't want to be here anymore. You're the only family I have left. Where you go, I go."

Luke studied the girl in his arms that had always been like a younger sister to him. Suddenly she didn't look so young. "Are you sure? It's not going to be easy, you know."

She nodded sternly. "If you can do it, so can I."

Reluctantly Luke tore his eyes away from Kasya and looked at Ben, his eyes pleading for guidance of some sort. Ben had to mentally shield himself from the waves of pain and despair rolling off the children before him. He didn't like the thought of involving the young girl in what was sure to be an unpleasant experience, but the Force was telling him that this was meant to be and he needed to listen. With a deep sigh, he nodded his head.

"Come, Mos Eisley awaits us."


	4. Chapter 3

**Just to clarify, it's 0 BBY at this point so Luke is 19 and Kasya is 15.  
And now the adventure continues...**

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**Chapter 3**

Kasya hadn't been to Mos Eisley in years. The last time had been when she 8-years-old and her parents decided to take she and Luke into the city for a family outing. Her mother had been a nervous wreck the entire day, always looking over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching them. Kasya had thought she was just being overprotective in the big city, but now she understood just what her mother was afraid of. Every person they passed sent a chill up her spine, each one more sinister looking than the last.

"What exactly are we doing here anyway?" she asked. As they walked, Kasya made sure to stay close to Luke. Her hand sought his, fingers clasping tight around his own as if he were her very lifeline, and in many ways he was, being her only living relative.

Luke was also being hyper vigilant now that he was Kasya's sole guardian. His eyes darted around the crowd, watching for anyone showing a particular interest in their little party. Luckily that seemed to be no one at the moment. Cities like Mos Eisley had a way of burning the curiosity out of anyone.

"We need to charter a ride to Alderaan," Ben explained. "A spaceport is the best place to find such a ride."

"But at what price, Ben?" Luke asked. "We don't exactly have enough credits to pay for passage."

The old man smiled fondly. "Then we shall have to barter for our ride. Here, this place looks promising."

_'Promising for what?'_ Luke wondered taking in the crumbling exterior of the cantina and the less than upstanding clientele that lingered at its doors. Ben led them inside and left Kasya and Luke near the bar while he followed a gentle nudging from the Force to find them a transport.

Kasya stood awkwardly near the bar where Ben had instructed her and Luke to wait for him. She felt so out of place that she was sure she stood out like a Jawa on Mon Calamari. A few patrons spared the pair a passing glance, but most couldn't be bothered…with her anyway. Luke's presence seemed to bother a pair at the bar to the point that one of them decided to get physical. Before she knew what was happening, Luke was on the floor, Obi-Wan was holding a lightsaber of his own and one of the alien's arms was laying on the floor. There was a general sense of awe and surprise from the crowd, but no one made a move to intervene.

"You must be more careful," Obi-Wan chastised half-heartedly, pulling Luke to his feet. "Come with me—both of you—I think I've found a ship that meets our needs." He led them to a large booth in the corner of the dank cantina where a human male and a huge, hairy alien were waiting for them. Kasya couldn't help but stare at the alien having never seen such a creature before. He reminded her of the stuffed Ewok toy she had as a child only much, much larger.

The human caught her staring and chuckled. "His name's Chewbacca. He's a Wookiee. They're pretty temperamental creatures, you know. Best to not make any sudden movements. " Kasya nodded and slid onto the bench cautiously, her eyes still glued to the behemoth creature to her left. As if sensing her discomfort, Chewbacca threw his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side, wuffing in what she assumed was his version of a laugh.

"He likes you," the human pointed out, "be thankful." He flashed a warm smile before getting down to business. "I'm Han Solo, captain of the _Millennium Falcon_. My copilot tells me you're looking for passage to the Alderaan system?"

"As long as it's a fast ship."

"Fast ship? You've never heard of the _Millennium Falcon_? It's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than twelve parsecs."

Kasya quirked her eyebrow, the wheels in her head spinning. "Wait…isn't a parsec a measure of distance? How can you decrease the distance between two planets?"

Captain Solo threw his hand up, brushing her comment off. "Not important, Squirt. The point is she's fast enough. What's the cargo?"

"Just myself, these two and two droids," Obi-Wan explained. "And no questions asked."

Kasya watched as Captain Solo and his hairy copilot tried to extract an substantial amount of credits out of old Obi-Wan and she was shocked to hear the old man not only acquiesce to the demand but offer a higher amount. In her opinion, no ship was worth that many credits regardless of how fast it was.

Solo instructed them to meet him at docking bay 94 and the party took their leave. They were able to sell Luke's speeder for a couple thousand credits and Obi-Wan assured them that he would be able to secure the rest of the fee when they arrived at Alderaan. Kasya had her doubts, but she knew better than to voice them at that time.

When they finally arrive at docking bay 94, Kasya knew now was the time to express those concerns.

"This is the ship we're taking?" she asked, taking in the large ship in front of her. It had obviously seen a lot of action but little repair work if the mismatched hull plates and patches were any indication. "I don't know if I feel safe traveling in that thing."

"This ship will make .5 past light speed. She's got it where it counts," Han pointed out. "Now if you'll all climb aboard, we can take off." He looked nervous, his eyes darting around the docking bay suspiciously, which did little to calm Kasya's nerves. She felt Luke's hand at the small of her back guiding her up the landing ramp when suddenly all hell broke loose. The sound of blaster fire erupted in the docking bay and Kasya found herself pushed bodily into the ship.

"Strap in!" Luke yelled to her and pointed toward the lounge area of the ship before continuing up toward the cockpit.

Kasya threw herself into the nearest seat and pulled at the crash webbing, securing it across her chest. She watched captain Solo and his Wookie friend come running on board, closing the landing ramp behind them, and barrel toward the cockpit. A few moments later they were lifting off, blasting past several other ships before finally breaking through the atmosphere.

Kasya let her thoughts wander, her mind finally beginning to come to terms with the events of the last few hours. Had it really only been a few hours since this whole fiasco began? Had it been only hours since she had last seen her parents alive? A lone tear slid down her cheek as that thought hit home and she finally realized that her life had changed irreversibly. She was an orphan now; it was just her and Luke against the galaxy now.

Her musings distorted time and before she knew it, Luke and Obi-Wan had rejoined her in the ship's lounge. "Everything okay?" she asked, swiping at the few stray tears that lingered on her cheeks.

"Oh yes," Obi-Wan said. "We should reach Alderaan in a few hours." The older gentleman took a seat on the opposite side of the table and watched as Luke once again took out the lightsaber and held it in his palm. "You need to practice with that, if it is to become yours."

Luke looked wary but agreed taking the remote that Obi-Wan handed him and activating it. The lightsaber blazed to life and stood ready for the random stun bolts the remote would throw its way.

Kasya sat off to the side watching the scene in a detached manner. She couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy over her cousin's new found destiny. Luke seemed to be finding his footing while she was sliding perilously down a slippery slope. Her parents were gone, her home left far behind while she was blasting off into space toward…who knew what.

"Seems like a waste of time to me."

Kasya jerked suddenly, having been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice Captain Solo taking the seat next to her. "What's a waste of time?" she asked.

Han nodded toward the center of the small room where Luke was vainly attempting to dodge the remote's attack. "That hokey religion your brother is working on."

"It's not a hokey religion," she defended. "The Jedi have a long history in this galaxy…or so I'm told. I'm too young to remember. And he's not my brother."

Han glanced from Luke and Kasya and back. "You two aren't…you're not an item, right? Cause I gotta say, you're a little young to be running away with your boyfriend. I know it's not my place to have an opinion but—"

"Ew! No, no, no. He's my cousin not my…ew." She shivered dramatically and cringed. "And I think it's pretty cool what he can do." As the words left her mouth, the remote successfully broke passed Luke's meager defenses and speared him with a low level blast.

Han laughed. "Ancient weapons and hokey religions are no match for a good blaster at your side." He turned back to the young woman beside him and laid a hand on the blaster at his hip. "I can show you how to shoot if you'd like. It'll be more helpful in the long run anyhow."

Kasya couldn't help but smile; she'd been asking her father to teach her how to shoot for a few years now, but he had always refused saying it was too dangerous for someone so young. The memory of her father brought a fresh wave of grief over the young girl, throwing salt into wounds that were nowhere near healing.

"I'd like that."

Han reached over and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Just tell me when and where, Squirt." He got up to head back to the cockpit when Kasya's voice stopped him.

"Why do you call me that?" she asked.

"Call you what?"

"Squirt."

Han shrugged. "What would you like me to call you?"

Kasya looked dumbfounded for a moment. "My name? Or you can call me Kasy."

Han mulled the suggestion over for a few moments and then shook his head. "Nah, I'll just call you Squirt." He disappeared from the lounge before Kasya spoke another word.

* * *

A few hours later the reversion alarm sounded alerting everyone on the small craft that they would be entering real space in a few moments. Kasya secured herself on the couch in the lounge next to her cousin and waited for the jolt. It came less than twenty seconds later, followed by a series of stronger bumps and a string of curses from the cockpit.

"Is that normal?" she asked, gripping the sides of her seat so tightly that her knuckles began to turn white. She probably should have picked a safer ship to have her first space adventure. Not that she really had a choice in the matter.

"I doubt it." A worried expression crossed Luke's face before he unbuckled his crash webbing and climbed to his feet. "Stay here."

Kasya watched him cross the lounge, nearly falling flat on his face when a particularly strong jolt shook the ship. Eventually he disappeared in the direction of the cockpit leaving her alone with the two droids. She sat there for a few minute nervously bouncing her legs and worrying her bottom lip before deciding to follow along.

The second she entered the cockpit, Kasya wished she had stayed put.

"What is that thing?" she exclaimed. A hulking, grey mass filled the ship's viewport, literally radiating an ominous sense of foreboding.

"It's a space station," Ben answered.

Captain Solo scoffed. "It's too big to be a space station." Han pushed the ship for all it was worth, but continued to advance toward the huge sphere.

"Why are we still moving towards it?" Luke cried. His voice echoed the panic that Kasya felt running up her spine.

"We're caught in a tractor beam," Han grumbled. "I'm shutting everything down. They're not getting me without a fight."

Behind the pilot and copilot's chairs Ben Kenobi nodded thoughtfully. "There are alternatives to fighting, Captain." He didn't wait for Solo's response before rising to his feet and making back toward the lounge. "Quickly!"

Luke shot a questioning look at his cousin before pushing Kasya out in front of him. Han and Chewie brought up the rear, both of them curious as to what their crazy passenger was scheming. They passed the lounge and finally came to a stop in the _Falcon_'s entryway where Ben was busy taping at various floor panels.

"Uh…Ben? What are you doing?" Luke asked.

Before he could answer, Han stepped forward. "I follow you old man. Here." He moved a little further down the corridor and pushed his boot against the corner of a panel. After a short pause it popped loose and Han lifted it from the floor. "Everybody in."

Luke and Ben lowered the droids into one of the compartments while Chewbacca opened another and climbed inside. Luke lowered himself into the small compartment and looked up at Kasya. "It's a tight fit, but we'll make it work."

She looked into the tiny space and shuddered. Kasya wasn't a fan of compact spaces—not that she was claustrophobic—she just preferred wide, open areas.

"The other one is bigger," Han pointed out. "Even with a Wookie in it." Chewie huffed an annoyed response, but Han shrugged the hairy beast off. "C'mon, Squirt, I'll protect you."

Shooting a final glance at her cousin, Kasya nodded and moved to the other compartment. She sat on the floor, her legs dangling over the edge of the pit looking at the Wookiee waiting below her. Chewie extended his arms to the girl and Kasya reluctantly slid into them. He lowered the girl to the ground and when she didn't immediately leave his embrace, Chewie pulled her closer and ran a soothing hand down her back. Kasya was shaking, her fear getting the better of her though she tried desperately to will it away. Han slid in after her, pulling the grate over the camouflaged opening and settling on her other side. She was sandwiched between the two smugglers trying to steady her breathing and calm her racing heart.

Logically, she knew she had every right to be scared. She was being locked in a smuggling compartment with two people she had met only hours ago while their ship was being dragged into an Imperial space station, but she wasn't scared.

She was terrified.


	5. Chapter 4

**Remember how I said I would post a chapter every few days? I lied :-P But I am happy to report that this story is now fully written, so barring any crazy life occurrences I should be able to post the remaining chapters by the end of the week. Thanks for sticking with the story this long and I promise there won't be any more lengthy absences.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Kasya paced the small room, the comm link Luke had given her grasped tightly in her palm hoping for any sign that either party had been captured. She couldn't believe they had left her there; Luke and Han had gone gallivanting off to rescue some princess, taking Chewbacca as their 'prisoner' while Ben had volunteered himself to locate and destroy the tractor beam somewhere deep within the ship's depths. And she was left where she was with nothing to do but wait and hide.

So here she was, hiding out in what looked to be a security office with two droids.

Aboard an Imperial space station.

Behind her, Artoo's dome was spinning lazily as he analyzed any sort of data he could pull from the station's computer system. She had no idea what he was looking for, but at this point any information would help. If droids were capable of emitting emotions, Artoo was the picture of calm under pressure.

Threepio was his exact opposite, pacing as quickly as his stiff legs would allow, muttering how they were all doomed. Kasya had a strong urge to flip the power switch she knew was hiding at the back of his neck. Her fingers twitched at the thought, but she managed to control them. There was no sense in deactivating the droid simply because he was annoying her. No, she would simply grin and bear it.

"Mistress Kasya, how are we ever going to escape this horrid mess?"

Kasya sighed and dropped into a nearby chair. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad; after all it would just take the flip of a switch.

* * *

His hand hovered over the release mechanism for the cell door, a thousand thoughts running rampant through his mind. After a moment's hesitation, Luke depressed the device and watched as the door flew open. The cell was small and just as bleak as the rest of this station had been. The walls were completely bare, as was the rest of the room, save for a small hard cot attached to the opposite wall holding a tiny body draped in white.

The young woman took notice of Luke's entrance and pushed herself up on one elbow. She had a look of bored nonchalance about her. "Aren't you a little short for a storm trooper?"

"Huh? Oh, the uniform." Pulling off the terribly heavy helmet, Luke shook his head and finally saw the woman without the distorting lens. She looked much younger than he first realized. "I'm Luke Skywalker. I'm here to rescue you."

"You're who?" she replied skeptically. Leia had been in this horrid place long enough to suspect anyone and everyone. Some blonde headed kid showing up with a heroic rescue plan was exactly the type of ruse the empire would use to break her.

"Luke Skywalker," he repeated. "I'm here with Ben Kenobi. We found your droids."

Suddenly Leia was wide awake with a flash of adrenalin. "Ben Kenobi? Where is he?" Not bothering to wait for an answer from the young man who barely looked old enough to carry the blaster in his hand, Leia pushed passed him and stumbled into the hallway. Instead of meeting the stately old man her father had talked so much about she found herself in the middle of a firefight. Her survival instincts kicking in, Leia flung herself against the far wall and compressed her body against it creating a smaller target for the Imperial soldiers firing at them.

Luke followed her back out into the black corridor, blaster bolts sizzling off the ceiling and walls all around him.

"You got in here, didn't you have a plan for getting out?"

"Hey, he's the brains Sweetheart!" Han shouted, tossing an annoyed look at their newest companion on this crazy adventure.

This is definitely not what Luke had been picturing when he'd first seen the princess in that hologram. He was expecting the dainty royalty that he had heard so much about, not the petite little spitfire he was now dealing with.

He definitely wasn't expecting her to steal his blaster and create an escape route out of thin air.

"In to the garbage chute, flyboy!" And then Leia was gone.

Luke stared at the space where she had disappeared with a bewildered expression before suddenly remembering that he was being shot at. He returned fire and crossed to the other side of the corridor.

"Wonderful girl!" Han sneered. "Either I'm going to kill her or I'm beginning to like her." He gestured toward the hull in the vent, which Luke took as his invitation to go first. With a deep breath to steel his nerves, Luke dove headfirst into the chute and whatever trouble awaited him within.

* * *

"What were they doing in a garbage chute?" With great restraint, Kasya was able to keep her laughter to a small chuckle. Had she not been in a life or death situation, separated from her only family aboard an Imperial super weapon and left to care for two droids, the thought of her cousin and Captain Solo rummaging around in a trash compactor would have been hysterical. As it was, the thought was still fairly amusing. She would have to remember to laugh about it later.

"What are we going to do now, Mistress Kasya?"

_'I have no idea.'_ She paced the floor for a few moments, half of her brain trying to come up with some sort of plan while the other half kept alert for any signs of trouble. She was so deep in thought that she nearly missed the voice rising from her comm link.

"—you there? Kasya, come in!"

She gasped and raised the device to her lips. "Luke? Is that you?"

"Yeah it's me," came the muffled reply. "Where are you?"

Kasya looked around the corridor she and the droids were currently bunkered down in. There were no signs designating what level of the station they were on—not that such directions would really help when the basic layout of this place was still a mystery to her. "We're somewhere near the docking bay where the _Falcon_ was brought it. If I go around the corner I can see the boarding ramp."

There was a moment of silence, punctuated by bursts of static, before Luke replied. "Okay I think we're right above you. Hang on."

Kasya wasn't sure if Luke wanted her to stay where she was or just wait for further instructions, but she was sick and tired of being left behind. Making up her mind, she ordered Artoo and Threepio to stay where they were and went off in search of her cousin and the rest of their merry little band. It didn't take long to locate the turbolift but Kasya wasn't too keen on being stuck in a confined space with little chance of escape. The smuggling compartments aboard the _Millennium Falcon_ had not been a pleasant experience and definitely not one she was eager to repeat. Thankfully there was a set of stairs further down the corridor. She snuck up them rather stealthily and paused at the top. There was no door on this level so she peeked her head around the corner cautiously. Spotting no one in the immediate vicinity, Kasya stepped into the hallway and crept toward the spot where she assumed Luke and the others would be waiting.

She was ecstatic to find her cousin, looking a little harried and nervous, standing near an open viewport overlooking the docking bay. Throwing all caution out the airlock, Kasya covered the few remaining meters at a dead sprint and threw her arms around Luke's waist.

"You're okay!" she cried, then immediately sobered. "Luke Skywalker don't you ever do that to me again!" She was so excited to see Luke again that she almost missed the addition to the party. "Oh wow…you're her!"

Leia's head snapped up from where she was peering down the hallway. "I'm who?"

"The girl."

Now she was really confused and highly doubtful this little girl would be able to give her the answers she needed. "What girl? What is she talking about?" she asked Luke

"She was with me when I found that recording you put in R2D2," he explained.

Kasya's head bobbed enthusiastically. "Exactly. I told Luke he would never find you. I figured you were probably dead already."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Leia huffed.

Han's baritone chuckled sounded from further down the hall. "This is all terribly amusing, but I think we should probably move this little party along. Those storm troopers are on our heels."

"Agreed. Kasy, where are the droids?"

Her eyes dropped to floor. "They're one level down, right below us."

"You left them? You wandered around this place by yourself?"

In an instant Kasya's hands were across her chest, her right hip cocked. "Don't pull the parental card on me now, Luke. I was perfectly fine on my own when you _left me_ with the droids."

"I didn't want to leave you…"

"Hey!" Both parties ceased their arguing and looked to Captain Solo. "Let's save the family spat for when we're not being hunted by an entire garrison of storm troopers, huh? Now, we need to get to the ship but we're going to need a distraction. Any ideas?"

"Why don't you send your big, hairy friend out there to wave his blaster around and howl," Leia suggested, her tone snarky.

"Now look here, your Highnessness—"

"Wait." Kasya drew everyone's attention to the docking bay. The handful of storm troopers that had been guarding the _Falcon_ had now moved across the space, drawn toward some unknown source of inquiry.

"That's our opening," Han said moving toward the stairwell. "Let's move people." He led the group from their safe outlook down the stairs and out into the hanger bay. The _Falcon_ loomed before them, looking as dilapidated as ever, yet still a welcome sight. Kasya ran as fast as her legs would carry her, not daring to look at anything except the boarding ramp. That was her salvation, her single goal in life at this particular moment. Nothing would deter her from reaching it…

…except maybe seeing Luke detour unexpectedly.

"Luke?" Whatever it was that had drawn her cousin's attention, Kasya couldn't see, but she knew he was about to get himself killed standing about in the middle of a landing bay filled with storm troopers. "Luke, what are—"

"No!"

Blaster fire filled the area and chaos broke out. Leia shouted for her cousin while pushing Kasya up the landing ramp. She fought against the older girl, not wanting to let Luke out of her sight while all hell was breaking loose.

"Go! Luke will follow," Leia urged. She pushed Kasya into the ship, following closely and leading her into the cockpit. Kasya dropped into the seat behind Chewbacca and anxiously watched the doorway for Luke to follow. After several heart-wrenching seconds, he dashed into the cockpit.

"We're taking off," Captain Solo yelled. The words were barely out of his mouth before the ship was lumbering upward on its repulsors. They broke through the magnetic field and blasted away from the space station.

"Luke, what happened out there?"

He didn't look at her, but Kasya could see the tears shining in the corner of his eyes. "Ben's gone. Vader…Vader killed him." Not knowing what else to say, Kasya simply reached over and grasped Luke's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. There would be time for comfort later, once they were far away from this place.

Han rose abruptly from the captain's seat. "C'mon kid, we're not out of this yet."

By the time the fighting was done, Kasya felt like she'd been holding her breath for hours. She felt so helpless during that time just sitting in the _Falcon's_ cockpit watching as Chewbacca piloted the ship while Han and Luke took out several enemy ships. Now the space around the ship was eerily quiet as was the ship as a whole.

It was unsettling.

It was Kasya who finally broke the silence that had settled over everyone like a thick blanket. "Where are we going now?"

Leia brought her eyes up to meet the younger woman. Behind them swirled a great sadness that nearly took Kasya's breath away. She would never understand how someone could feel such emotion but show none of it outwardly. Leia must have a very strong resolve.

"Well Your Worship? Are you going to tell us where we're headed or would you prefer to blindfold us and input the coordinates yourself?"

Leia paid him no attention. "We have a base in the Yavin system. We'll go there."

* * *

The second they exited the _Falcon_, Kasya knew she was not going to like this planet. Sure the surrounding jungle was beautiful and a nice change of pace from the deserts of her home, but the humidity was not welcome. At least Tatooine's heat was dry and oppressive. The heat that Yavin gave off was humid and stuffy and wreaking havoc on her hair. Kasya could literally feel her hair becoming untamable.

They were hurried along by an older gentleman in a green and grey flight suit and escorted into the great temple that loomed before them. Kasya praised whichever deity the temple was built in honor of that the temperature inside was much cooler.

"Princess Leia."

The assembled group watched as an older gentleman with graying hair approached the Princess and wrapped her in a familiar embrace. "We feared the worse when we heard about Alderaan."

Leia shook her head stoically. "We have no time for our sorrows now, General." The pair moved on ahead discussing the war effort and the Alliance's next move.

Kasya hung back and lowered her voice. "Luke, what happened to Alderaan?" she asked.

"It was destroyed," he answered simply.

Kasya's eyebrows shot up. "What?" Her voice echoed slightly in the cavernous space, bringing a slight blush to the young woman's cheeks. "What do you mean it was destroyed? How?"

"We'll talk about it later."

The group moved further into the Rebel base, following Leia and the older gentleman. All around them people were milling about, some of them working on snub fighters, others crowding around a data pad, but all eyes were on the newcomers. Apparently new faces were such a rarity that most people saw it fit to stare at them. Or it could be that a group that included two teenagers, a cocky Corellian pilot and a seven foot tall Wookiee was something of an anomaly.

"Commander, do you think we could find some temporary quarters for my friends here? I'm sure they're eager to clean up."

Kasya's spirits immediately lifted; the thought of a quick sanisteam had her giddy with excitement.

"I'm sure something can be arranged." The commander—whose name Kasya would probably never learn—summoned one of his subordinates and charged them with finding some rooms for the group. Han and Chewie chose to stay aboard the _Falcon_ rather than in the temple, so the young man with short cropped red hair and pink skin led Luke and Kasya down a series of corridors.

The quarters they were provided with were small, dormitory style rooms. Two cots occupied either side of the space, a glow lamp situated on the wall above each bed cast a soft light on the space. Kasya collapsed onto one of the cots, the events of the day finally catching up to her. She felt like she could sleep for at least a day without waking up, but sadly there was no time for that.

"Okay, now tell me what happened to Alderaan."

Luke sighed heavily and dropped onto the opposite cot. He ran a tired hand over his face and leveled a stern gaze at his cousin. "They destroyed it." His voice was barely above a whisper and thick with emotion. "Before we got to the Death Star, they…they used the station's laser and just blew it up."

"How is that even possible?"

Luke shrugged. "All I know is what Leia told us. She said there was an enormous laser that came from the Death Star and the planet just…exploded."

Kasya shook her head at the pure evil it would take to do such a thing. She had no love for the Empire but they had never interfered with her life so she remained blissfully neutral on the whole subject. Emperor Palpatine had been in power long before she was born, so it wasn't as though she knew of any other way. The Old Republic was just something they studied in school, and briefly at that.

And then another thought occurred to her.

"Luke, did Leia…did she _see_ it happen?" Luke's silence was all the answer Kasya needed. A burning rage blossomed in Kasya, accompanied by a deep sense of sympathy. She and Leia had butted heads during their escape and now she understood the other woman's need to close herself off. She had just witnessed the death of millions of people, her family and friends, and the destruction of everything she had ever known and held dear. Her world had been shattered in an instant—both literally and figuratively.

"Poor Leia," Kasya mused. She sat for another moment before stretching out on her back, hand resting behind her head. Her thoughts travelled a light year a minute as she attempted to understand the new information she had acquired. It was completely incomprehensible to her that anyone—even someone as controlling as Palpatine—would choose to destroy a planet. She understood hatred, but to kill millions of innocent people…that was just unimaginable. Millions of lives snuffed out in the blink of an eye, no warning, no chance to say goodbye. There was little solace in the thought that their deaths had probably been painless or nearly so.

Kasya was quickly coming to understand just what the Alliance was fighting for, and she found herself wanting to help their cause. But what could she do? Surely a single person like herself couldn't make much of a difference.

Her rumbling stomach served as a great distraction to such serious thoughts. It took Kasya a few moments of contemplation to remember when she had last eaten. It must have been several hours ago while the _Millennium Falcon_ was headed for Alderaan. She would still taste the blandness of the ration bar on her tongue.

"Luke?"

"Yeah?"

Kasya turned over onto her side and looked at him. "Do you think they have any food around here? I'm starving."

He started chuckling at the comment, which blossomed into full blown hysterics. The laughter was infectious because Kasya soon found herself dissolving into a fit of giggles. All the tension and emotions that had built up over the last day had finally bubbled up to the surface. Kasya wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry, but she figured the former was a better choice. It was easier to recover from a case of giggles than it was to come back from a fit of hysterical crying. She wasn't sure if she would be able to stop crying once she started, so it was best to not start.

Eventually the laughter wound down. Luke wiped the tears from his eyes and climbed to his feet holding out a hand to his cousin. "C'mon Kasy, let's see if we can find something to fill that bottomless pit you call a stomach."


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Tensions were running high in the Great Massasi temple as pilots dashed around, readying their fighters and themselves for battle. Technicians and mechanics looked over every nook and cranny of the amassed Starfighters, making sure they were in top condition for the impending battle. Squadron leaders briefed their pilots on tactics and strategy, all the while playing down the fact that many of them would not be returning. Though it wasn't addressed, that feeling of finality hung over the mammoth hanger like a dark, looming storm.

Kasya pushed her way through the throngs of people in a desperate search for Luke's assigned X-Wing. She was running out of time and if she didn't get to see him before he took off...No! She couldn't afford to think that way. Luke would come back, he had to.

She found him a few minutes later just as he was climbing the ladder toward his ship's cockpit. "Luke!"

His head spun at the sound of his name, thinking Biggs had come back for some reason. He was surprised to find Kasya standing at the bottom of his ladder, her hand grabbing his leg. "Kasy, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be in the control room with Leia."

"I know, I know. I just..." She fought to find the words and eventually just gave up and threw her arms around her cousin's neck. "I'm only going to say this once, so pay attention," Kasya pulled back and leveled a stern gaze at her cousin; Luke was slightly taken aback by just how much she looked like Aunt Beru in that moment. "Up until a few days ago, I had never lost anyone in my life. And now...now you're all I have left. You have to come back to me."

"I will, Kasy."

"Promise me!"

Luke hesitated, knowing what she wanted to hear but not wanting to make promises he couldn't keep. "Kasy, I promise you that I will do everything to come back to you."

She nodded, seemingly accepting his words even if it wasn't what she wanted to hear. "I love you, Luke."

"Love you too, Kasy." He embraced her again then pushed her back gently. "Now get back into the control room. Leia is probably going nuts looking for you."

"I doubt it," Kasya huffed. "She's in command mode and completely oblivious to anyone else's presence."

Luke took her hand and squeezed it gently. "Whether she says it or not, Leia will need you at her side. She could use a friend right now. Trust me."

Kasya nodded softly and with one final kiss to her cousin's cheek, turned on her heel and headed back toward the command center. She refused to look behind her, not wanting Luke to see the lone tear sliding down her cheek. She needed to be strong.

Leia looked the perfect picture of a cool-headed commander on the outside, but inside she was a bundle of nerves and tension. She was so intently focused on the display before her that she nearly jumped out of her skin when Kasya sidled up beside her and spoke her name.

"What? Oh, sorry Kasya. I suppose I was in another galaxy."

"I can see that," the younger girl grinned. "Have we heard anything yet?"

"The Death Star will be within firing range in a few moments," General Rieekan commented off-handedly, his eyes glued to a datapad in his hands.

Kasya was surprised by the older man's calm demeanor. Apparently years of military service did wonders for one's nerves in battle situations. Kasya hoped to never develop that particular characteristic.

Reports started coming in from the pilots of those snub fighters heading off to battle, some so full of technical jargon that Kasya barely understood what they were saying, and some just the astonished musing of young pilots facing their first real taste of combat. Their voices wavered with not-so-well hidden fear as almost certain death loomed before them in the guise of the Empire's newest weapon.

As she listened to the reports filing in, Kasya stared down at the display before her. The colorful holographics showed the Death Star as it orbited the gas giant known as Yavin. With each passing second the super weapon came closer and closer to the point where it would be able to fire upon the planet which housed the Rebel's impromptu base, killing thousands and doing irreparable damage to the morale of the Alliance. But Kasya wasn't worried about the Alliance, she was worried about herself and Luke…and maybe Leia and Han and Chewie.

Her musings were shunted when she heard a familiar voice cutting through the radio chatter.

"I'm all right, just a little cooked."

_'Luke's hurt?'_ Suddenly every muscle in Kasya's body was poised for action.

Sensing her riled state, Leia laid a firm hand on the younger woman's shoulder. "He's fine. Those ships can take a beating."

"I'd prefer it if they didn't."

Leia nodded curtly and returned her attention to the display. The ships were beginning their runs on the main target, bringing a hushed anticipation to the room. The tension could be sliced with a dull vibroblade. The first attempt failed outright, cut short by Imperial TIE fighters lurking in the shadows. The second held a little more hope, even deploying its proton torpedoes, but in the end was thwarted just the same. It was beginning to appear hopeless and Leia wondered if she shouldn't start evacuating some of the base's personnel. There was no sense in getting everyone killed.

She turned to the young woman standing next to her. "Kasya, you should get to one of the transports."

Kasya's eyebrows rose so far they almost met her hairline. "Leave? You think I would leave and just abandon Luke here? No."

"Look—"

She held up a hand. "Leia, it's not going to happen. The only way I'm getting on a ship is if Luke is with me. Save your breath."

Leia was shocked by the girl's forwardness—and slightly impressed. She was strong willed that much was obvious. She reminded Leia of herself at that age and filled her with an odd sense of pride. Maybe Kasya would survive this after all—maybe they all would.

"I'm starting my run."

Both Leia and Kasya braced themselves as Luke's voice echoed around the command room. Moments ticked by before a shrill pinging sounded.

"He's turned off his targeting computer. Luke, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm okay."

Kasya looked to Leia for some sort of reassurance but found only a mirror of the anxious look she knew was on her own face. She reached over and grasped the other woman's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. They both leaned in, ears perked as the comm played a live feed from Luke's frequency. The entire room seemed to freeze in anticipation. Hearts skipped beats when one of the pilots had to forgo the assault because of damage to his fighter. That fighter peeled away from the trench leaving Luke to fend for himself against his enemies.

Kasya mumbled words of encouragement beneath her breath, confident that he would hear them. Seconds ticked by in slow motion as everyone held their breath.

And then a voice that nearly brought tears to Kasya's eyes echoed through the room.

"All right kid, let's blow this things and go home."

And just like that it was over. The Death Star was destoryed and the immediate threat to hundreds—if not thousands—of lives was gone. Kasya let out her breath and let the tension of the last few hours drain from her body. She felt ten times lighter, but she wasn't completely relaxed yet. That would come when she actually got to see Luke and make sure for herself that he was in one piece.

"Come on."

She let Leia drag her from the command room and through the winding, twisting halls of the Rebel base. The hanger was slowly filling up with the first returning star fighters, their engines humming as repulsors set them carefully down on the ground. Pilots jumped out of cockpits and were immediately greeted by their surviving comrades with whooping cheers and tight embraces. Ship after ship landed, but Kasya was waiting for just one. She felt a wave of happiness wash over her when the familiar shape of the _Millennium Falcon_ entered the hanger. Luke's X-wing should be right behind it.

And sure enough it was, ducking into the hanger and coming to rest on the duracrete floor. The landing struts were barely touching the ground before Luke was bounding out of the cockpit. He was met with a crowd of well-wishers and admirers, but there was one particular face he was looking for.

"Luke!"

"Kasy!" And then she was in his arms and being lifted from the ground in a massive embrace.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she sobbed, finally allowing the emotion that had been bottled up over the last few days come to the surface. "I was so scared."

Luke set her back on her feet and met her eyes with his own. "I promised you I'd come back," he whispered, swiping at a stray tear with the pad of his thumb. "And you know I always keep my promises."

Kasya's witty comeback was lost in the sound of a shriek as she was nearly tackled from behind by a pair of long, hair arms. "Hey Chewie!" She turned in the arms and wrapped her arms around his middle—at least as far as they would extend.

"That was some impressive flying up there, kid."

"Thanks, Han."

"I knew you'd come back." Leia looked awfully comfortable tucked beneath the older pilot's arm. Perhaps in all the celebration she'd forgotten to raise the barriers that were usually in place.

"Well I couldn't let the kid get all the glory," Han explained.

Leia glanced up at him as if she wanted to say something, but thought better of it. "I'm glad you did."

"Me too," Luke laughed.

"Me three." Chewie added his own growl to this chorus earning a laugh from all assembled. "I take it that means he's happy as well?" Kasya guessed.

Han smiled at the girl. "You'll be an expert in Shyriiwook in no time, Squirt."

"You look good, hero."

Luke spun around, drawn out of his reverie by the chiding voice. "You think so?" he held his arms out and turned in a slow circle to show off his new outfit. "It's a long way from Tatooine, that's for sure."

"It suits you," Kasya commented. She felt her eyes tearing up and quickly wiped away the moisture. "They would be proud of you." She needn't explain who she was talking about; she was certain Luke understood.

Sensing the fresh wave of melancholy washing over the young girl…woman, he corrected…Luke stepped forward and wrapped her in a tight hug. "They would be proud of you too, Kasya."

"For what?" Her voice was muffled against his chest. "I didn't do anything."

Luke pushed her shoulders back until he could look into her eyes. "You stepped up when most people your age would have just crumbled. That takes bravery."

"But it's not like I flew against the Death Star or anything. I'm not a hero."

A wry smile touched Luke's lips. "If I thought for one moment you would be able to handle an X-Wing without crashing it, I would have let you fly. But I'm not stupid; I remember what you did to my speeder."

"That bantha came out of nowhere!"

With the tension effectively broken, Kasya gave Luke another quick hug and a kiss on the cheek before hurrying out of the room. She wanted front row seats for the award ceremony, barely finding a spot among a long row of pilots—some of whom she recognized as part of Luke's new squadron—before a loud overture began to play from the back of the room. The great doors opened allowing Luke, Chewbacca, and Han to enter. The trio paraded down the long aisle, each of them looking more uncomfortable than the one before them.

Except Chewbacca, who woofed and shook his head in a triumphant manner; apparently the Wookiee had no problem with the attention.

The trio of heroes approached the dais where Princess Leia and General Dodonna waited for them. Kasya couldn't see their faces, but she could more than imagine the blush rising on Luke's cheeks and the cocky, lopsided grin Captain Solo was wearing. She wasn't sure which of those brought the grin to Leia's face.

Medals were placed around their necks and a roar of applause accompanied Chewbacca's own. Kasya laughed, letting the feeling of delight spread through her body.

Maybe she could get used to this life.

* * *

**And now all that's left is the epilogue, which I'll admit is my favorite chapter out of all of them. That should be up by the end of the weekend!**


	7. Epilogue

**Here we go guys, last chapter...**

* * *

**Chapter 6—Epilogue**

Kasya took another sip of her drink and allowed the exuberant atmosphere to sink into her bones. She didn't want to think about how much her life had changed in only a few days; how she'd gone from an unassuming farm girl living on an outer rim planet to a Rebel Alliance conspirator on a planet she didn't even know existed. It was overwhelming and frankly she didn't want to think about. Thinking would lead to feeling and that was not something she looked forward to. She would feel tomorrow.

Tonight, she was celebrating.

"Oh great," Leia mumbled next to her.

Kasya turned to locate the source of her new friend's ire and discovered Captain Solo swaggering toward them. He clearly had been celebrating, if the slight stumble in his step and the goofy lopsided grin was any indication.

"Hey Squirt!" he yelled, throwing his arms around Kasya's upper body and lifting her off the floor in a giant hug.

Kasya went with it, allowing herself to be lifted off her feet for the second time that day, laughing as the room spun around her in a dizzying blur of color and sound. "Han…Han! Put me down."

"Sure thing, Squirt," he replied dropping her onto her feet.

"I told you to stop calling me that." Kasya attempted to look annoyed at the use of her new nickname, but could not stop the smile tugging at her lips. It used to annoy her that Captain Solo refused to call her by her name, but now she was starting to embrace it. Technically it was a term of endearment or as close to one as she would get from the head strong captain.

"You love it." His eyes fell on Leia watching the interaction in bemused silence. "And what about you, Your Worshipfulness?" Han extended his arms and took an unsteady step forward as if to pick the princess up, a childish amusement sparkling in his eyes.

"Don't even think about it, Captain," Leia warned. She stepped back half a step, maintaining a safe distance between herself and the inebriated Corellian before her.

Han dropped his arms and looked mildly offended. Kasya watched closely, hoping he was merely playing and wasn't about to disrupt the festivities with one of their already famous fights. Luckily the grimace slowly dissolved into a crooked grin. "You won't be able to hide your feelings forever, Sweetheart." Han leaned closer to Leia and pressed a quick peck to her cheek before sauntering off to join a group of pilots across the room.

Leia looked dumbfounded for a few seconds before wiping at her cheek and cursing under her breath. "Intolerable man!"

Kasya watched Han walk away then turned back to Leia. She noticed the glow of a blush retreating from the Princess's cheeks. It was faint but for Kasya it was more than enough.

"Oh I don't know," she said. "I like Han. He seems like a nice guy."

Leia's perfectly manicured eyebrows shot up. "_Nice guy_? He's a smuggler, a criminal, a...a scoundrel!"

"That doesn't mean he can't still be a nice guy," the younger woman argued. "After all he did come back and saved Luke—and really all of us."

Leia leveled her gaze at the younger woman. "He did it for the reward or at least for the glory it would afford him."

Kasya shook her head and chuckled. She may only be 15 years old but she knew when someone had feelings but was afraid to admit them. She'd been there before and recognized the signs in Leia. With a wicked smile she decided to put her rudimentary matchmaking skills to work with those two. They would make a cute couple…if they didn't kill each other.

"I don't think you give him enough credit," she argued. "If it weren't for him Luke would be dead…we all would."

Leia shook her head, dismissing the claim. "He came back because he knew he would be treated like a hero. He's here for the notoriety, nothing else. Don't delude yourself into thinking otherwise."

Kasya took a long sip of her drink, cringing at the strange taste of the punch that someone had whipped up for the celebration. "I'm just saying," she continued, "that I think Han is a decent guy. Not bad to look at either." She waited then, an innocent smile plastered on her face, for Leia's reaction.

She wasn't disappointed as a look of amusement came across the princess's face. "He's too old for you, Kasya," Leia laughed.

"But not too old for you," the younger woman countered.

A look that was a mixture of shock, disgust, and perhaps just a hint of contemplation crossed Leia's features before she was able to recover and slide the mask of her Sabaac face into place. "Me…and Han Solo? Ha! I would sooner be a Hutt's dancing girl."

Kasya didn't have a chance to respond before a group of older gentlemen engaged Leia in a discussion that was filled with far too much political jargon for Kasya to keep up. She gracefully bowed out of the conversation and scanned the room packed full of people looking for that one face she knew so well. Eventually she spotted him across the way surrounded by a group of his fellow pilots, his hands bouncing about as he weaved some story or another. She watched for a moment, noting how freely the words came to him and how red his neck seemed to be turning. His eyes also seemed to have a glassy look to them.

Approaching cautiously, Kasya sidled up next to Luke and waited to see how long it would take him to notice her presence. Nearly two minutes ticked by before Luke recognized her presence.

"Kasy!" he threw his arms around her and once against Kasya was lifted off the ground. Luke's balance was slightly off and he staggered under their combined weight. Thankfully the group of pilots that surrounded him was able to right their fearless leader and make sure neither he nor the young woman in his arms hit the floor.

"How you doin there, Luke?" Kasya asked. She could smell the pungent stench of alcohol from him and smiled. She'd never seen her cousin drunk before, though she'd heard it was an amusing sight. Hopefully tonight she would get to witness it firsthand.

"M 'okay," he slurred. "Have you met everyone?" He didn't bother waiting for her answer and began introducing the assembled crowd. "This is Wedge and Zev and Dack and Wes. They flew with me today when we blew up the Death Star!" He raised the cup in his hand in a toast then took a large gulp. The rest of the pilots followed suit.

"That was all Luke's doing," Wedge offered. "We just flew back up. Where'd a farmboy like you learn to fly like that?"

"It was nothing," he answered.

Kasya laughed. "Oh come on, Wormie. Don't be so modest."

A cacophony of laughter erupted from the group. "Wormie?" Wes jeered. "Oh that's perfect!"

"Where did that nickname come from?" someone else asked.

Luke's gaze turned stony and focused on his cousin. "You're dead." There was an attempt at seriousness in his voice, but the hiccup that came at the end of the sentiment greatly diminished any chance there was that Kasya would take him seriously.

She smiled softly and patted his cheek. "Sorry Wormie." Before he could even formulate a comeback, Kasya spun and left the group eager to mingle with some of her new compatriots.

* * *

Just over an hour later, a hesitant hand tapped Kasya on the shoulder. She turned to find one of the pilots she had been introduced to earlier holding up a very drunk Luke Skywalker.

"I think he's ready for bed," he said.

Kasya took in the picture before her and nodded slowly. Luke was leaning heavily against his friend, who was struggling to stay upright beneath the additional weight. "Yeah I think so." She turned back around and bid a quick good night to the group of people she was talking to. "Okay, let's go." She looped her arm around her cousin's waist and tried to help the young pilot carry his weight. "You okay there, hero?"

"Kasy?" Luke slurred. His head bobbed from side to side as he took in the people on either side of him. "When did you get here?"

"Just a few minutes ago," she lied.

"Oh…did you hear that I blew up the Death Star? Pretty wizard huh?"

Kasya rolled her hazel eyes; she would never understand her cousin's obsession with the word 'wizard.' He used it every chance he got, sometimes not even in the right context. At first it was annoying but as time progressed, Kasya came to look at it as a weird little quirk her cousin had. Still, others tended to be confused by it.

"It was very wizard."

Luke's head lolled to the side for a moment then shot back up. "Where are we going now?"

"You're going to bed."

"But I don'wanna go to bed!" Luke whined, his words slurring together.

"Everyone is going to bed though," Dack chimed in.

"They are?"

"Yep. The party's over, Luke. Everyone is going to bed."

Luke seemed to consider this for a few moments before nodded slowly. "Okay, let's go to bed then."

_'Victory,'_ Kasya mused, readjusting her shoulders to better hold her cousin's weight. They were essentially dragging Luke at this point, the trio staggering down one hallway after the next.

"You're Dack, right?"

The young man nodded. "Yep. Kasya, wasn't it?"

"Correct." They turned a corner balancing Luke's weight between them. "Which room is yours?"

Kasya pointed to a door nearly halfway down the hallway. Between the two of them, they managed to steer Luke the rest of the way and even wrestle him into bed. After several failed attempts at removing his boots, Kasya just decided to let him sleep fully clothed. He probably wouldn't be comfortable, but she highly doubted that such trivial concerns would matter to his alcohol-riddled brain. Hopefully he would be out cold until morning or at least the next few hours.

"Are you headed back to the party?" Dack asked.

Kasya glanced down the hallway before shaking her head. "Nah, I think I'm just gonna take a walk. It's getting a little too chaotic in there if you know what I mean."

"Yeah, the Alliance sure knows how to celebrate," he chuckled. "Would you mind if I joined you for a bit?"

Her initial reaction was to politely decline the offer—she wanted some time to herself, time to clear her head a bit—but after a little consideration she agreed. Dack seemed like a nice guy and he was pretty cute. What harm could it do?

They wandered the twisting hallways of the Massassi temple for hours talking about everything and nothing. Kasya even mentioned—albeit briefly—the circumstances that had brought her and her cousin to the Rebellion. She ghosted over the details of her parents' murders, the wounds still far too fresh to delve into greater detail, and regaled Dack with the harrowing story of their escape from the Death Star. Eventually the pair found themselves back to the hallway in which their journey had begun.

"I guess I should probably turn in," Kasya said, bringing her hand to her mouth to cover a yawn that just could not be held at bay.

Dack looked down at his wrist chrono before shrugging. "I never did set this thing to local time—whatever that is here. But Rebellion time says it's just after 0300."

_'3:00 in the morning? No wonder I'm so exhausted.'_ "I'm about ready to fall asleep standing up," she laughed.

"And tomorrow will be a busy day," Dack added. "I'm sure they'll probably start the evacuation tomorrow. Maybe the following day if we're lucky."

"Evacuation? We're leaving?" Truthfully Kasya hadn't really thought about the future, though it made sense that the Alliance would want to leave this planet as soon as possible. Once the Death Star was destroyed the Empire would be putting forth even more effort to hunt them down and destroy every last person associated with the Rebels.

"Yeah we change bases every few months or so. Gotta keep the Empire on their toes." He remembered how uprooted he had felt when he joined the Rebellion. Military life wasn't for everyone given the constant moving and threats to your life. It could take a toll on anyone let alone someone so young. Reaching out, Dack laid a comforting hand on Kasya's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it."

She nodded but didn't say anything. They walked the last few meters in silence, the events of the day and evening catching up with both of them. Their limbs were heavy with fatigue, their spirits—which had soared only hours before with their victory—were beginning to droop with the prospect of challenges to come.

Outside her door, Kasya paused awkwardly and looked at Dack. "Well…thanks for walking with me tonight."

He flashed a shy smile. "No problem. If you need anything…well you know how to find me. Don't hesitate to comm."

"Thanks, I will." She gave him a small smile and palmed the door open, stepping inside.

Inside her quarters, Kasya leaned back against the heavy door and let it hold her up. She finally allowed herself to think about the last few days and felt the weight of such dramatic changes fall upon her. She'd gone from being a moisture farmer's daughter living on a planet no one had heard of to a member of the Rebel Alliance, hoping from planet to planet to avoid the almost certain death at the hands of the Empire. And all this in only a few days' time.

She moved silently around the room, stripping off her jacket and laying it over the bottom of her cot. Her shoes followed before she curled up on her side and pulled the small blanket over her body. Her eyes fell on Luke sprawled out on his own cot a few feet away, right arm dangling nearly to the floor, hair pointing in every which direction. A small smile crept onto Kasya's face. As long as she had her family—whether that meant her true family or the family she was slowly building for herself—she would be just fine.

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**And there you have it. I do plan on expanding this story to (hopefully) encompass all of the OT. When that will happen is yet to be determined because remember...always in motion, the future is (too cheesy?).  
**

**Anyway, thanks to all those who read this and an extra special thanks to those of you who reviewed!**


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